Machine element or mechanism – Mechanical movements – Reciprocating or oscillating to or from alternating rotary
Patent
1990-04-11
1992-03-31
Herrmann, Allan D.
Machine element or mechanism
Mechanical movements
Reciprocating or oscillating to or from alternating rotary
384296, 384439, 403 71, 403353, 4147446, 901 16, 901 17, F16H 2520, B25J 1100
Patent
active
050997076
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an industrial robot, and more particularly, to a direct-acting actuator in which an elongate feed screw can be attached or detached quickly and safely in a narrow working space.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Various industrial robots are conventionally known, which comprises a direct-acting or translational actuator. For example, a cylindrical coordinate robot has one swivel or pivotal axis and two translational axes, while a cartesian coordinate robot has three translational axes. A conventional direct-acting actuator, which has a feed screw extending parallel to the translational axes, is so arranged that the feed screw is attached to or detached from the actuator by causing the feed screw to be axially inserted thereinto or axially disengaged therefrom, at the time of assembly, parts replacement, and maintenance of the robot. Thus, the assembly of the robot having the elongate feed screw and other work require a wide working space and a large amount of labor, therefore, operation involves a risk due to the weight of the elongate feed screw.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a direct-acting actuator for an industrial robot, in which an elongate feed screw can be attached or detached quickly and safely even in a narrow working space, at the time of assembly, parts replacement, and maintenance of the robot.
In order to achieve the and other objects according to the present invention, a direct-acting actuator for an industrial robot comprises a feed screw unit including a feed screw disposed parallel to a translational axis of the industrial robot, a drive unit removably coupled to one end of the feed screw for rotatively driving the feed screw, a slider arranged to be movable along the feed screw with rotation of the feed screw, and a column including a plate member for rotatably supporting another end of the feed screw, the plate member being disposed traversely of the feed screw at an end portion of the direct-acting actuator on the side remote from the drive unit, and being formed with a passage extending therethrough and opening in one end face of the plate member and with a hole extending through the plate member and communicating with the passage, another end of the feed screw being removably fitted in the hole through the passage.
As described above, according to the present invention, the one end of the feed screw is removably coupled to the drive unit, and the other end of the feed screw is removably fitted in the hole of the plate member through the passage, which is formed in the plate member disposed traversely of the feed screw, and which opens in the one end face of the plate member. Thus, the feed screw can be attached or detached quickly and safely even in a narrow working space, at the time of assembly, parts replacement, and maintenance of the robot.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a direct-acting actuator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention along with its peripheral elements, the actuator being in incomplete assembly;
FIG. 1(a) is a schematic view similar to FIG. 1, with parts assembled;
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a ball screw of FIG. 1 along with its peripheral elements;
FIG. 2(a) is an enlarged, partial side elevation view, partly in section, of a lower end of the direct-acting actuator of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional cylindrical coordinate robot; and
FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional cartesian coordinate robot.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
First, a conventional robot having translational axes will be described in brief.
A cylindrical coordinate robot of FIG. 3 comprises a first direct-acting actuator 120 which is mounted on a base for rotation around the swivel axis of the robot, and which includes an elongate feed screw 122 rotatably supported by top and bottom walls of a column 121 and removabl
REFERENCES:
patent: 3383142 (1968-05-01), Scott
patent: 4517853 (1985-05-01), Tani et al.
patent: 4519723 (1985-05-01), Kusmierz
patent: 4565104 (1986-01-01), Akin
patent: 4782761 (1988-11-01), Asberg
patent: 4836696 (1989-06-01), Okumura et al.
Hamura Masayuki
Ito Susumu
Tanaka Akira
Tori Nobutoshi
Fanuc Ltd.
Herrmann Allan D.
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